Shower curtain hooks

ABSTRACT

An improved shower curtain hook has two hook portions, wherein individual hook portions each extend through openings in a pair of aligned shower curtain sheets. The shower curtain hook has rollers that have a cylindrical outer surface to roll along a curtain rod as the shower curtain is moved between open and closed positions. At ends of the rollers there are curved surfaces, however, the central portion of the rollers is cylindrical.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a shower curtain hook of the type having two hook portions, and a plurality of rollers, and wherein the rollers have a cylindrical outer surface to roll along a curtain rod.

Shower curtain hooks are utilized to be slid along a curtain rod, and selectively open or conceal a shower area. One type of shower curtain has a pair of sheets. While many different types of hooks are known to support the shower curtain for sliding movement on the curtain rod, one type has a pair of opposed hook portion, with each hook portions supporting one of the two sheets.

Shower curtain hooks are known that have spherical rollers that roll along a curtain rod to reduce friction as the hooks and curtain move between a concealed and an open position. In the prior art, the rollers that have been utilized with dual hook curtain rods have been spherical. In addition, while some cylindrical rollers have been proposed for other type hooks, they have been separately mounted on a hook, and not positioned adjacent to other rollers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, a shower curtain hook has a pair of hook portions for extending through openings in two sheets of a shower curtain. The shower curtain hooks have a plurality of rollers with a cylindrical outer surface. The cylindrical outer surface contacts an outer surface of a curtain rod. The cylindrical outer surface provides a more consistent support of the hook on the curtain rod than the prior art spherical rollers. The plurality of adjacent rollers each are captured between two stops on the hook. Positioning these rollers adjacent to each other, and between the two stops, results in better support of the hook on the curtain rod. In addition, the particular cross-sectional shape of the rollers better accommodates the plurality of rollers between the two stops.

These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shower curtain and curtain rod incorporating the inventive hooks.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the inventive hook.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a portion of the inventive hook.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A shower environment 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1 having a curtain rod 22 with hooks 32 supporting a curtain 24 having two sheets 25 and 28. Sheet 25 is supported on a first hook portion 26 and sheet 28 is supported on a second hook portion 30 of the plurality of hooks 32. A leg portion 33 extends from the hook portions 26 and 30, and into a hoop portion 35. Stops 34 capture a plurality of rollers 36. The rollers 36 support the hooks 32 for easy sliding movement along the curtain rod 22.

As can be appreciated from FIG. 2, stops 34 and 38 capture a plurality of rollers 36. The rollers 36 each have a generally cylindrical radially outer surface 40 at a central location, and opposed ends 42 that extend along a curve. The cylindrical outer surfaces 40 better support the hooks 32 on the curtain rod 22, when compared to the spherical prior art rollers. In addition, the use of the cylindrical outer surfaces 40 with curved ends 42 result in more space to accommodate adjacent rollers 36.

As can be appreciated from FIG. 3, the plurality of rollers 36 are mounted onto the hoop portion 35, by being moved over the stop 34, and adjacent to the stop 38. The present invention thus provides a unique shower curtain hook, in which the hook portions are better supported on a curtain rod, and the roller members are better able to support the hooks, and to provide space for adjacent rollers 36.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention. 

1. A shower curtain hook comprising: a hook body having a pair of hook portions extending laterally outwardly away from a leg, said hook portions extending upwardly in a direction having a component parallel to a direction of said leg; a hoop portion extending from said leg to be received on a curtain rod; and a plurality of rollers received on said hoop portion, said plurality of rollers having an outer shape extending laterally between two ends, with an intermediate portion having a generally cylindrical outer surface.
 2. The shower curtain hook as set forth in claim 1, wherein laterally outermost ends of said rollers have a curved surface.
 3. The shower curtain hook as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of rollers are each positioned on said hoop portion, and are freely movable between a pair of spaced stops such that adjacent rollers may contact each other.
 4. The shower curtain hook as set forth in claim 3, wherein said pair of stops extend outwardly of a body of said hoop portion.
 5. A shower comprising: a shower rod extending axially along a length of a shower; a shower curtain having two sheets with each of said sheets having a plurality of openings at a vertically upper portion; and a plurality of shower hooks, said shower hooks-including a hook body having a pair of hook portions extending laterally outwardly away from a leg, said hook portions extending upwardly in a direction having a component parallel to a direction of said leg, a hoop portion extending from said leg to be received on said curtain rod, and a plurality of rollers received on said hoop portion, said plurality of rollers having an outer shape extending laterally between two ends, with an intermediate portion having a generally cylindrical outer surface, each of said hook portions extending through openings in one of said sheets.
 6. The shower as set forth in claim 5, wherein laterally outermost ends of said rollers have a curved surface.
 7. The shower curtain hook as set forth in claim 5, wherein said plurality of rollers are each positioned on said hoop portion, and are freely movable between a pair of spaced stops such that adjacent rollers may contact each other.
 8. The shower curtain hook as set forth in claim 7, wherein said pair of stops extend outwardly of a body of said hoop portion. 